196 IN A GLOUCESTEKSHIRE GARDEN 



Greece, is one of the most rapid and one of our oldest 

 garden climbers. It was grown and admired by Gerard 

 and Parkinson, and is sometimes seen in old gardens, 

 but it is not common. It is, however, well worth 

 growing ; it has bright green leaves, and an abundance 

 of trusses of black and green flowers, followed by a 

 curious seed-vessel, formed of two pods joined at the 

 two ends, and open in the centre, and full of pretty 

 silky threads ; but I have never seen the fruit except 

 on plants against walls. The whole plant is full of a 

 white, milky, poisonous juice, and it has the reputation 

 of keeping flies away from any room against which it 

 is planted; this I do not fully believe, though it is 

 certain that this juice, if exuding from a broken spray, 

 would act like birdlime on any insect unfortunate 

 enough to touch it. The Aristolochia sipJio is a better 

 known climber, very rapid in its growth, with large, 

 heart-shaped leaves, and curious flowers, 'Dutchman's 

 pipes,' which are fatal to numberless small insects, the 

 internal construction being exactly similar to an eel- 

 trap. It is a native of America, and was brought to 

 England about the middle of the last century, and 

 grows well in and near towns. There are many 

 species, but this is the hardiest. 



Vines make beautiful creepers, and though, when 

 grown away from a wall, they produce few or no 



